The Quiet Garden
by Closet Kleptomaniac
Summary: Hatake Kakashi, a renowned surgeon, is too busy saving other people's lives to realise that he is also in need of help. But will this ghost from the past be just what he needs, or will history just repeat itself? KakaNaru, Yaoi, AU, Work in Progress
1. Just in Time

**_Notes from the Author_**

Hello. Before you read this, there a few things that may be helpful to you in understanding the story:

Firstly, the pairing is Kakashi/Naruto. This fanfiction obviously therefore contains yaoi, and if that makes you uncomfortable, stop reading now. There may be other side pairings as well, but KakaNaru is the main focus.

Secondly, if this story is continued it will contain sexual acts. So be warned.

Thirdly, I am from England, and therefore tend to use English grammar, spelling and terms, as opposed to American ones. We wear pants underneath our trousers. :P Most things should still be understandable, however, the school system might be unfamiliar. Just to briefly summarise, we attend secondary school, which runs through ages 11-16, then sixth-form college, which is optional, for two years. After that, we can choose to go to university. I think in high schools the quivalent of secondary and sixth-form college education are grouped together.

Fourthly, I make this stuff up and tend not to research many of the terms I use. Therefore, there are probably loads of mistakes in the medical side of this, impossible operations, completely false terminology, ect. It's my story, I can do what I like. :P

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters. I make no money from the writing of this fanfiction._

And finally: enjoy!

* * *

"Hey, Hatake! You're late _again_!" The exasperated Chief of Medicine marched across the ward to confront the silver-haired man, forcing him to pause in his casual stroll towards the adjoining corridor. He watched her fume for a moment before responding, the corner of his one visible eye crinkled into the suggestion of a smile.

"My apologies, Tsunade-san, you see, I was on my way to visit a patient when I saw the most fascinating-"

"God damnit, Kakashi! I've already heard that excuse at least four times this month. How do you manage to be this late every single day? It's not like you go home at night, you don't even _leave the hospital_... where do you disappear to every morning?!"

Kakashi's jovial expression remained fixed in place as Tsunade waited for him to explain himself. Finally she sighed and continued her rant one-sided, brandishing her clipboard wildly;

"And when will you take off that stupid mask?" she near screamed, forcing Kakashi to quickly dodge a violent clipboard-attack, "It freaks out the patients!"

Kakashi chuckled, his eye-smile turning into more of an eye-smirk.

"But Tsunade-san, I am a surgeon - I have to wear a mask," he retorted smugly. The Chief of Medicine's face flushed with frustration.

"Only when you are actually performing surgery, idiot! I don't see you hacking anybody's limbs off at this exact moment in time, so-"

Her lecture was cut short as a stretcher burst through the swinging doors, a heavy-set paramedic quickly wheeling it straight through the ward. Doctors and nurses immediately flocked around the patient, reeling off medical terms and suggestions to each other as they trotted across the floor. They remained in a huddled formation around the trolley even at their brisk pace, obscuring Kakashi's view of whoever was lying unconscious on the stretcher. Finally, the rapid conversation but wrapped up when they heard a medic bark an order to send the injured patient straight down to theatre. As the crowd of medical staff dissolved and the stretcher disappeared through the next set of doors into the corridor, the surgeon saw his cue to leave.

"Well, so sorry to cut our chit-chat sort like this, Tsunade, but it looks like that's me," he yawned, and wondered away towards the same doors the stretcher had been wheeled through. Tsunade just shook her head and resigned herself to the fact that Hatake Kakashi would never change.

Kakashi strolled leisurely towards the operating theatre, knowing from plentiful experience that he wouldn't be needed for at least ten minutes yet. Everything was always so rushed here. There was a constant pounding rhythm of hurried feet on linoleum, constant rushing of figures past the stark white walls, a constant whirring and beeping of machines that seemed to be the very heartbeat of the hospital. Kakashi was determined to take his time.

He considered himself a lazy person; the constant hustling, bustling panic of the place didn't suit him. But even with the ever present tension and frantic, dangerous atmosphere, this was home. He had found a way to belong. Despite his constant cheerful demeanour, he had successfully distanced himself from the rest of the world, preferring to let the rapid flow of life pass him by unaffected. It was just easier that way. He didn't feel the constant threat of death that drove some of the staff to near insanity. He didn't become part of the unified, panicked mass that rooted themselves so deeply into caring for their patients that they died a little inside every time they lost one. He didn't get involved.

His apathy didn't mean he that didn't work as hard as the rest of them - far from it. In fact, he was an extremely skilled surgeon. One of the best in Fire Country. He had performed extremely difficult surgical procedures, pioneered several successful new medical techniques and saved countless lives. But he had learned that despite his skill, despite his high success rate, and despite his recognition, he couldn't save the people he cared about most. Once, that realization had torn him apart. Now, he found himself caring very little about anyone. He did what he could and had long convinced himself that that was enough, that there was nothing more that he could have done. He wouldn't let himself indulge in the happiness that came with a successful operation, if only to avoid that grief that was the result of an unsuccessful one. His life was one long cycle of life and death and fake eye-smiles, jokes that his heart wasn't quite in and nights spent alone in his office, crashed out in a computer chair. Hatake Kakashi was a saviour that needed saving. He glanced lazily at his watch. Despite being constantly hounded by his colleagues, he was never really late.

He always got there just in time.

When he finally did arrive, the always calm surgical team ran through a brief explanation of what had happened. The kid, a blond seventeen-year-old boy, had been found unconscious and bleeding all over the pavement. Somehow, a load of shredded, rusting metal had ended up embedded in his right calf. There were various other injuries all over the boy, but they would only need a few stitches here and there. His leg was a far more serious concern. If the rusting metal wasn't removed, and carefully, the teenager risked losing function below the knee of his right leg, and even if the procedure was successful there was a serious risk of infection. Even so, the operation shouldn't be too difficult. Kakashi was told the boy's name and handed a clipboard of his previous medical notes to look over. The notes were... fascinating. He didn't have time to read the details, as most of the information concerned the boy's psychological health, which wasn't important right now. Skimming over a few past physical ailments, which were mainly just broken bones and nasty cuts, he decided there were no apparent problems that could compromise this operation. It was only when he prepared to get started on removing the metal debris, after he has slid up the dark band of cloth that concealed his abnormally coloured left eye that he actually looked at the patient. And then the name suddenly registered in his mind, wrenching through him like a ton of bricks.

Uzumaki Naruto.

He looked just like his father.

Kakashi slipped through the privacy curtain surrounding Naruto's bed. The teenager lay there in a trouble sleep, a slight frown marring his soft features. Once again, the surgeon couldn't help but notice the similarity between Namikaze Minato and his son - they both had the most adorable scowl. The surgeon was startled by his own fond smile. Since when was he prone to such episodes of nostalgia? Correcting his features, he glanced over the neat bandages covering the boy's right leg from knee to ankle. The operation had been performed with few complications, apart from a slight delay when an unexpectedly large piece of metal had to be cut several times before it could be removed. His work was done. He could assign somebody else to oversee the blond until he was discharged, to check for signs of infection and make sure the wound was healing correctly.

Kakashi made as if to leave, trying to sneak back out through the curtain, and was already halfway gone when he heard Naruto stir. Turning back, he saw the boy blink several times and sit up, clutching his head, then run a curious hand over the stitches on his forehead. The older man felt an uncharacteristic urge to bolt, to get away, but was too entranced by the sight of the blond checking his body for other injuries. Hands slid down his torso and along his arms, noticing and carefully expecting each cut and bruise before moving on, eventually skating his fingers down to the bandage on his leg. This damage was clearly worse than the other injuries. Naruto started intently at the bandage and prodded it a few times, flinching with pain.

Suddenly, Kakashi wished he could disappear. He didn't want to talk to this boy, this apparition from the past. Once again, he just didn't want to get involved. But this feeling was not one he had experienced with other patients, because this time, it was just... different. He didn't understand, and that didn't make sense, because Hatake Kakashi _always_ understood...

He tried again to slink away unnoticed, but Naruto whipped his head around, noticing another presence by his bedside. Kakashi had been seen, and when they made eye contact, he knew he couldn't get away. Those eyes...

"Hospital, huh? Are you my doctor?" asked the boy, his voice perfectly friendly despite the slight, barely detectable edge of discomfort. Kakashi was surprised the teen wasn't intimidated by his ever-present surgical mask and covered eye. Usually, the lack of exposed flesh on his face unnerved and offended patients; many seemed to think he wore it so they wouldn't infect him in some way, as if they were dirty, and his headband... well, that was just plain weird. But Naruto seemed to take it in stride. Perhaps he was just incredibly stupid. The older man eye-smiled, and mirrored the casual, cheerful tone;

"No, I'm a surgeon," he explained, "I just operated on your leg. You need to keep it still and stop prodding it - you'll get it infected."

The blond sheepishly removed his hand but continued to fidget, beaming at Kakashi. It was making the surgeon uncomfortable. The teen thrust his hand forward, offering it to the surgeon.

"Hi, I'm the great Uzumaki Naruto!" he announced, his greeting enthusiastic and far too loud. Kakashi stared at the hand, noticing the blood stains on the back. Realizing he hadn't moved or spoken in about a minute, he eventually came out with the very first response his churning mind could think up.

"I know", he replied, in a slightly more subdued version of his normal tone. "I saw your notes, Naruto-kun."

The hand remained stretched out, and Kakashi's gaze remained fixed upon it. Eventually, the surgeon broke the silence with an excuse to leave.

"I'm, sorry, but I have other patients to attend to, Uzumaki-san. I will send a doctor to check up on you and supervise your progress until you are discharged."

As he turned away from Naruto, he caught the hand lowering out of the corner of his eye and kept walking, searching for somewhere to clear his mind. Despite his carefully maintained calm, he was feeling extremely flustered and disturbed; he almost jumped from shock when the boy called out to him again.

"Wait!" he cried desperately, causing a grey eye to meet his from over the surgeon's shoulder. "You never told me your name."

The older man just stood there for a long while, lost in the electricity as storm-cloud silver met startling blue. He tried to keep walking, but was frozen in Naruto's gaze. He felt stripped of his cheerful pretence - this boy could see him, this boy could see past his always-joking mask and through to what was beneath. Everything dropped, everything stopped; the quirk of his eye fell until his face stopped feeling so fake, and it was just him and this teenaged boy standing in silence, waiting. The look of disappointment on the blonde's face sent a wave of nausea through his body; the surgeon knew he couldn't leave until the boy got what he was waiting for.

"Kakashi. Hatake Kakashi."

His voice was distant, and sounded so far from what it usually did that he was sure it didn't belong to him, not really. He turned and escaped, letting the rush of families and nurses snag him back to a reality he knew. Forcing himself to take his usual slow, lazy strides, he concentrated on his relief that he had gotten away, and that now the past could stay locked up where it belonged, in his memories.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stifle the giddy tingle he felt in his stomach after seeing the blond boy smile.

* * *

What do you think so far? Is this worth continuing? I was hoping to make it a multi-chapter story, but it's sort of meandering where it wants to at the moment, which appears to be working quite well. I have a rough plot outline in my head, so I will probably write more.

Tell me what you think!

(Also, if you spot spelling or grammar errors, however minor, please let me know. I like to have the little flaws pointed out - it helps me improve!)


	2. Anything's Better Than Lycra

**_Notes from the Author_**

Okay, so here is the second chapter. Sorry it took so long, I have no excuse for my lack of writing. :P I am very grateful to the people who reviewed and encouraged me, because knowing at least somebody wants to read this should keep it going, if slowly. :D

Also, the whole thing has been a bit Kakashi-centric so far, but that should ease off as the next chapter focuses more on Naruto's life up to this point.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters. I make no money from the writing of this fanfiction._

Enjoy!

* * *

Naruto sat up in bed, greedily slurping ramen and half listening to Iruka jabber on about how worried he had been. Honestly, the man was way more protective than would be expected of a biology teacher. Noisily chewing a mouthful of noodles, he suddenly realised Iruka had stopped talking and looked up to see what the problem was. The scarred-nosed man sighed with exasperation and shook his head, his brown hair swaying as he moved. Once again, Naruto was distracted by something other than what he was meant to be paying attention to. Iruka frowned.

"Are you even listening, Naruto? Honestly. Your grades are bad enough as it is... you were meant to hand in that last essay weeks ago, and you still haven't given it to me! These constant injuries are just bringing you down further. I thought you wanted to go to university?" he lectured, waiting expectantly for the blonde's explanation.

Naruto opened his mouth, but no sound came out. After a few seconds, a length of mashed noodle slipped out and fell back into the bowl, splashing soup on Iruka's trouser leg. The brunette stared detachedly at the stained fabric. With another weary sigh, the teacher stood up and looked around, before turning up the teen, who had resumed guzzling his ramen.

"What's your doctor's name? I need to speak to them about this," he asked, and thankfully Naruto waited to swallow his mouthful before answering.

"I don't know. I haven't got one yet, I don't think. My surgeon ran away."

In less than a second the boy's mouth was filled with noodles again. Iruka gave him a quizzical look before wondering away to ask somebody what was going on.

"Hatake!"

Kakashi glanced up from the book in his hand. Tsunade sounded even more irritated than usual.

"Hatake, you are neglecting one of your patients. This is taking lateness to a whole new level!" shouted the fuming woman, her face red with anger. She appeared to be dragging a very disturbed brunet around by the wrist, who, judging by the wince on his scarred face, was in quite a lot of pain from the harsh treatment. He looked back to Tsunade with mild confusion.

"Which patient might that be, Tsunade-san?"

She growled.

"His name is Uzumaki Naruto! You operated on him three days ago and he hasn't heard a single word from you since!"

The eye that wasn't hidden by Kakashi's bandana widened fractionally. He quickly erased all traces of shock from his face, but the sick feeling in his stomach remained. After hearing nothing about Uzumaki for a day, he assumed somebody else had dealt with him. Since then he had been trying to wipe the incident from his memory. There had to be a way of getting out of seeing the kid again. He was a surgeon, after all.

"Maa, but Tsunade, I am very busy at the moment with other patients. You should ask a doctor or nurse to take care of him, I am sure they ca-"

"No way, Kakashi. You know we are short staffed at the moment, and he's your patient. You deal with it."

Kakashi internally squirmed a little. The blasted woman was making this extremely difficult. He tried again.

"Like I said, I'm too busy-"

"YOU ARE SITTING IN A CHAIR AND READING PORN, HATAKE KAKASHI! YOU ARE NOT TOO BUSY!"

All eyes turned their way. After a few seconds of frozen silence, the room returned to its previous state. Everyone was used to the CoM's outbursts by now. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm too old for this, Kakashi," she said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. "I'm too tired to play games. Go and deal with your patient."

The surgeon resigned himself to his fate. His hopes of forgetting the Minato look-alike were torn to pieces. At least if he was in charge of the brat, Naruto would soon we fully recovered and out of the hospital.

Kakashi picked up his book and headed towards the blonde's bed.

As soon as the curtain was pulled back, Kakashi's stomach dropped straight to somewhere inside his shoes. The man that had sent for him had introduced himself on the way - his name was Umino something, Iruka Umino maybe, Kakashi hadn't really been listening. He was far too distracted by the sense of impending doom that only grew as he neared his destination. And now, with Uzumaki right in front of him, there was nothing he could do to escape.

"Kakashi!"

Naruto's cheerful voice shocked him out of his stupor. The kid seemed surprised but at the same time pleased. Several ramen cups were strewn across his the bedside table, dripping soup on to the sterile surface. He stepped a little closer to allow Iruka through, and glanced at the clipboard of medical notes out of habit. It was unnecessary, really, because nothing had changed since he had last spoken to the blond.

"So, Naruto... how have you been feeling?" he asked indifferently, his eyes glued to the clipboard. Naruto chuckled.

"Lonely," he answered playfully, and fidgeted a little. "Why didn't you come back?"

Kakashi just made a quiet noise under his breath and continued.

"How does your leg feel?" he questioned. "Have you experienced any other symptoms, such as nausea, headaches, rash or vomiting?"

Naruto shook his head. When Kakashi didn't hear him answer he looked up and instantly regretted it. Minato had taken the place of the boy in the bed and was grinning at him mischievously. When the surgeon blinked in surprise, the image was gone, and Naruto was back. However, that very same grin still lighted his features. Those identical eyes still shone brightly at him. Perhaps the image had just been Naruto all along. Unnerved, Kakashi replaced the clipboard and moved to look at Naruto's leg.

After a few minutes, he stopped fiddling with the bandages and started to leave. Again, he could sense Uzumaki's disappointment but kept walking.

"Your leg is fine. I'll come back and change the bandages in a few hours."

Though Kakashi knew he should just change them now and get it over with, he was too desperate to escape to think quite as rationally as he normally would. Unfortunately for him, the ordeal was about to be drawn out even longer. A hand grabbed his shoulder. He nonchalantly turned to face the owner of the offending appendage. A scowling Iruka was glaring fiercely at him, halting him in his tracks.

"Hey! He's been here three days already without even being checked on and that's all? If he's your patient, shouldn't you at least tell him when he can leave? I was worried sick, nobody even phoned me!"

Kakashi thoughts suddenly changed direction as he pondered a question he had not thought about previously. This man was not Naruto's father. Minato was. And any guardian should have come looking for their charge days ago. So who was Iruka, exactly?

"Umino-san, what relationship do you have to Uzumaki-san?" asked Kakashi in a dead-pan tone. Despite his lack of emotion, he was genuinely curious. Iruka looked taken aback for a second.

"I'm... I'm his biology teacher."

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. His teacher? Why would a teacher come and visit his student in hospital? Furthermore, who was actually looking after Naruto? A wave of guilt passed through the surgeon. He looked back at Minato's son with unease. Even though he knew the answer to the question, he still had to ask the whereabouts of Naruto's parents.

"Where are his family? Have they not been contacted?"

Iruka winced.

"His parents passed away when he was born. His grandfather looks after him, but he doesn't have a phone."

That was even more curious, because as far as Kakashi knew, Minato's father had been dead long before they met. More questions were accumulating in his brain. He pushed them back, not wishing to get to involved, and turned back to Naruto.

"I should be able to discharge you on Friday, Naruto-kun. I hope you can stand four more days of sitting in bed all day."

With that Kakashi left, and this time he didn't turn back.

He didn't see Naruto again that day. A nurse who owed him a favour had agreed to see to his leg, allowing Kakashi a brief break from his troubles. He really, really wanted Naruto to disappear. Every second spent with the boy unearthed painful memories that he had spent years repressing. Seventeen years in fact, and now all that hard work was being systematically destroyed. The worst part was the sense of dread that plunged through him every time he thought of that smiling face. He had taken to avoiding a certain part of the building entirely, because hearing the brat's laughter ringing down the corridors ignited a saddened longing inside of him. The yearning was so bad that several times he almost rushed towards the sound to see Minato happy again.

But this was not Minato. It was Naruto.

The kid was driving him crazy.

To make matters worse, he had been forced to constantly avoid Tsunade for fear of incurring her wrath. In fact, he had only just managed to lose her this time by slipping into a supply closet as soon as he saw her marching towards him. Now it was just him and the disinfectant. And the janitor.

Oh god. The janitor.

Kakashi burst forth from the closet like a cat out of water, ploughing straight into Tsunade's oversized chest. He bounced back onto his feet, a safe distance away from her womanly parts and sighed with relief over getting away. Even an angry Tsunade was better than being alone with that green, lycra-clad _thing_.

When Kakashi looked up and saw the pure fury on the Chief of Medicine's face, he was ready to take that statement back.

"My apologies, Tsu-" he started, before she cut him off with a hand around his throat. He didn't bother to fight it. Tsunade viciously shoved him back through the open closet door, slamming his back into some shelves. Without turning her head, she addressed the other occupant of the closet.

"Gai, leave. Now."

He didn't need to be told twice.

After the door was rapidly closed behind them, the grip on Kakashi's neck loosened up enough for him to breathe properly again. Her eyes bored into his, letting him know that jokes would not be tolerated. Finally, she spoke.

"Why are you avoiding Naruto, Kakashi? Don't lie."

The words left her in a malicious hiss. It had been a long time since Kakashi had seen her so angry. Despite her warning, he wasn't going to submit so easily.

"I have other patients to attend to. His wounds were not serious. He is not priority."

That was a complete lie - Kakashi hadn't had any serious cases recently, and certainly nothing challenging enough to take his mind off of the boy and his father. Tsunade was not fooled.

"Liar. It's because he's Minato's son."

She didn't miss the brief expression of pain that flashed across his face when she mentioned that name. Other than that, Kakashi refused to respond. His face was blank. Tsunade let her hand drop to her side, and looked at him with something bordering on disgust.

For some reason, Kakashi found that so much more terrifying than the anger. And when she began to speak again, it was with a clipped, cold tone that seemed very out of place.

"Get over yourself, Kakashi. Minato Namikaze is dead. Yes, we were all sad. He and Kushina meant a lot to every single one of us. But we moved on, because_ that it what you have to do when somebody dies_. You _move on._ So stop trying to pretend it never happened, stop being so childish and unprofessional, and stop treating Uzumaki Naruto like he is his dead father. Because Minato is _dead_. You got that? _Dead as a doornail. _Naruto is a different person, and you would do well to treat him like one. He is your patient. Stop wallowing in grief because you couldn't help Minato, because at this rate, you'll just end up wrecking his son's life as well."

Tsunade left. Kakashi remained with his back frozen to the shelves. He was barely breathing. Those words had been so harsh, so incredibly cold that he was still reeling from shock. He closed his eyes and dropped his head, hands rising to grip at the shelves behind him. As hard as it was to accept, Tsunade was right.

Kakashi marched straight out of the closet and down the corridor.

He had to find Naruto.

* * *

Again, tell me your thoughts, good or bad, and I can try and improve as I go along! In the next chapter:

Who is really looking after Naruto? What are his family's connections to the hospital? And what the hell actually happened to Minato?

Watch this space to find out.


	3. Going Home

_**Notes from the Author**_

My sincerest apologies for how long it has taken me to update. Here is another small section, and I think chapter four should be done pretty soon. For anyone who is still sticking with this, thank you and I hope you enjoy it. Also, I totally lied about going into more detail about Naruto's life in this chapter, because it sort of deveoped a mind of its own, but that should be covered in chapter four.

(I guarantee nothing. :P )

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters. I make no money from the writing of this fanfiction_

* * *

"Kakashi!"

"Good morning, Naruto-kun. How are you feeling?"

The boy's grin just radiated happiness. Kakashi couldn't help but think something that bright could cause some kind of UV-based skin cancer. He smiled back, though most of the expression was still hidden beneath his mask. He didn't even have to force it anymore - since Tsunade's little intervention, it had gotten easier to talk to the blonde without feeling that familiar pain rise in his gut. There hadn't even been a confrontation, an explanation... he had just stayed with the boy a while longer, actually talked to him, laughed with him, and a weight seemed to have lifted off of his shoulders. That wasn't to say it wasn't difficult. The surgeon still had to mentally slap himself when he saw Minato in the teenager's features, but he was getting better at remembering the correct name, at least. And Naruto was extremely pleasant company, managing the somehow lighten up Kakashi's mood every time he saw him.

"Fine, thank you Kakashi-sensei! Is my leg better?"

The surgeon chuckled and examined the newly treated limb. It still looked a little sore, but was obviously healing extremely well, and Naruto seemed to be recovering fine. In fact, he was probably well enough to leave the care of the hospital. The teacher, Iruka, would certainly be glad to have his student back, and he supposed the boy's grandfather was missing him too.

But for some reason, the thought of no longer seeing Naruto every day made Kakashi reluctant to let him go.

Eventually, the time came for Naruto to leave. Kakashi ruffled his hair and gave him detailed instructions on how to care for his leg, despite the fact the boy didn't seem to be listening. He sighed. When gave him the customary, "And I hope not to see you again soon!" line, the surgeon couldn't help but secretly wish that Naruto would come back, for whatever reason. When they finally bid each other farewell Kakashi noticed nobody had come to pick Naruto up. The teenager said he would catch a bus. Apparently his grandfather couldn't drive. Something seemed inexplicably off about that to Kakashi but he ignored the strange feeling, simply wishing Naruto a safe journey. The kid waved and turned and walked out of the hospital, but never left Kakashi's mind.

When his shift was over, Kakashi retreated to his office. His faithful book was back where it belonged, in his hand, and he relaxed into his daily routine. Or at least, he tried to. It didn't feel right any more. Usually he would read here for a while and then settle down to sleep in the office chair but this evening he didn't feel comfortable. After Naruto had left the hospital had seemed strangely quiet and alien. It didn't feel like home. The surgeon pondered these new thoughts, turning them over in his mind, then filing them away for later consideration. It was unusual for him to let himself be so affected by anything. He turned his focus back to his book, and realized he had been reading the same sentence over and over since he sat down.

Tsunade was troubled. Very troubled, in fact. Jiraiya knew this, because there was no other circumstance in which she could tolerate coming to visit him.

She stood before his desk with a deep frown on her face. To break the ice, used a technique he had learned through years of studying psychology. Insulting her.

"Maa, Tsunade, I can see why you are worried. To have such terrible wrinkles in your old age would make any woman fret."

Tsunade smacked him.

When she had finished fuming and he had finished nursing his sore cheek, she slumped into a chair. Jiraiya settled back into his seat and waited for her to explain what was bothering her.

"Have you seen Kakashi recently?" she asked tiredly. The elderly psychiatrist thought about it and realised that no, he had not.

"I can't say I have," he replied, and waited for her to continue. She uneasily looked to the side for a moment before making eye contact with him.

"Something is wrong with him."

If the woman hadn't said it with such seriousness, Jiraiya would have burst out laughing. This situation called for a more tactful approach.

"You have only just noticed? Sometimes I wonder if you are the right woman for this job."

Tsunade glared and him but refrained from physical violence, which was surprising. She rolled her eyes and continued to explain.

"Minato's son was here."

Jiraiya's eyebrows went skyward in surprise and he leaned forward with interest. He hadn't seen the boy since he was a tiny baby. Nobody working at Konoha Hospital had, the old Chief of Medicine had made sure of that. So what was the boy doing here now? After that terrible day seventeen years ago, Tsunade's predecessor had ensured nobody knew the location of Minato's son. Jiraiya had no idea why Sarutobi would choose to send him back here now, to reignite the feelings of the past. The agreement had been that the boy could not know what had happened. Jiraiya nodded his head sagely.

"I see. And Kakashi is behaving oddly, because of what happened then."

Tsunade nodded.

"He looks just like his father, Jiraiya..."

Jiraiya turned in his chair to gaze out of the window. The view showed a courtyard, lined with various plants and flowers and scattered with a few trees. In the centre sat an old, weatherworn bench. Nobody ventured out there any more. The garden seemed eerily still and anticipant. The psychiatrist turned back to face his superior.

"Kakashi thrives on routine, and his routine has been broken. Maybe he needs time to accept that. Consider sending him home for a few days."

Their eyes met and Tsunade nodded sadly. Everyone who was there to remember what had happened shared the sense of loss and devastation, and though they had accepted it the pain of the memories never completely diminished. He reached out to place his hand over hers understandingly, and she allowed the touch. After a few seconds of stillness, she boldly stood and the tender moment was gone. She headed for Kakashi's office.

Kakashi ignored the knock at his door, so Tsunade let herself in. He didn't look up from his book. She marched up to the desk, knocked his propped up feet off of it and stood with her hands on her hips, glaring. The surgeon put the book safely away in his pocket, for fear her anger would be directed at it. He couldn't allow anyone to damage his precious Icha Icha Paradise.

He looked up with a carefully constructed eye smile.

"What can I do for you, Tsunade-san?" he drawled. She stamped her foot.

"This office is filthy. I want you out of it right now, Hatake, you are going to go home tonight and sleep in your own bed. The cleaners must have a chance to clean without you getting in their way.

Kakashi's gaze swept over the office. It looked perfectly clean to him.

"But I fear I may have forgotten where my humble apartment is, exactly, and if I were to get lost I would be late to work tomorrow. That would not do, hmmm?"

The surgeon had been desperately hoping the threat of lateness would put the Chief of Medicine off and make her leave him alone. Unfortunately, she only hardened her resolve.

"It's Friday, Kakashi. You will take the weekend off, so you have a whole two days to find your way back here. Argue all you like, I'm not listening. If you are not out of here by the time I get back I'm sending Gai up here to take you out drinking."

Kakashi's jovial smile fell from his face as soon as Tsunade left the room. As much as he did not want to bother going back to an apartment he hadn't seen in who knew how long, he knew when he was defeated.


	4. When it Rains

_**Notes from the Author**_

A really rather speedy update this time, to make up for the last one. I am feeling very inspired with this fic at the moment. I don't really have a properly formed plan for it, just a basic idea of the plot, and the chapters write themselves. I predicted that the stuff covered in this chapter wouldn't take as long as they did, but nevermind. Hopefully next chapter should actually do what I want it to, and go into more depth about Naruto's past from both perspectives. However, I am terrible at predicting these things, so don't listen to me.

Also: to anyone who has reviewed and not received a reply, I am very sorry. I would love to reply but now I have no idea who I have replied to and who I haven't, but be assured I will send a respong to anyone who reviews in future, don't worry!

Thanks for reading!

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters. I make no money from the writing of this fanfiction_

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Kakashi did not like the rain. It made his hair wet. When his hair got wet it got floppy, and draped itself in a limp mess over his one good eye. That quickly became problematic, because he couldn't see to read.

Even more problematic was that the rain also drenched the pages of his book, so the paper curled and the ink smudged. Attempting to immerse himself in Icha Icha was impossible when he was also being immersed in water, so he resigned to tucking the book away and walking to the tube station empty handed.

His neighbourhood was relatively close, only three stops and a twenty minute walk away. The surgeon had once owned a car but the vehicle had become tiresome and was of no use at all. The traffic meant he could spend hours on a journey that would be quicker on foot, and considering he rarely left the hospital it was cheaper not to keep the cumbersome thing. The underground was always busy and smelled like urine but was quick and usually on time, so it suited him fine.

Ignoring the bustle of frantic commuters, Kakashi calmly bought his ticket at a machine and made his way to the correct platform. Passers by kept giving him strange looks, which he concluded were probably because of the state his hair was in. Even though the platform was packed with people, nobody stood within a few metres of him. He supposed that maybe people could sense his carefully concealed levels of stress.

The train arrived shortly. All the seats had already been filled so the surgeon leaned on a pole near the door and whipped out his book again, settling down to read for the rest of the journey.

When he emerged from the darkness of the subway, Kakashi was annoyed to see that it was still raining. He was starting to feel cold and irritated. Sighing, he began the walk to his apartment block, trudging through the puddles forming on the pavement. He just wanted to get indoors and go to sleep. After the non-stop action of the hospital and tube stations, the streets seemed dreary and quiet and sense of great weariness came over him. Bed sounded like a good place to be.

Ten minutes into his walk he entered a poorer neighbourhood. Despite its closeness to the expensive estates, derelict buildings and broken windows were commonplace here. A young man sat cross legged in the mouth of an alleyway, huddled under a ripped coat. That wasn't an unusual sight around these parts and Kakashi didn't give him much notice as he walked past, yet when he reached the corner of the street something was bothered him. He paused and thought about it, then shrugged it off and started walking again.

And then he stopped and turned around, because he realised he had recognized that tattered orange coat. It was Naruto's.

When he reached the young man huddled in the alleyway, he reached into his pocket and tossed down some spare change. The blond jumped when he heard the clatter of coins, and started to collect them.

"Sir, you dropped some mone-" he started but when he looked up he fell silent. His blue eyes widened at the sight of the surgeon. The grey haired man stood over him with one eyebrow raised and a hand on his hip. Naruto winced.

"Kakashi-sensei?" he said weakly, trying to shrink into the alleyway at the sheer irritation the older main radiated.

"What are you doing out here in the rain, Naruto-kun?" he asked sweetly, his eye curving into a very false smile. "Your leg will get infected."

Though he was thankful to see Naruto again, he would rather it wasn't whilst they were both soaked and freezing. This was only going to prolong his journey and he was desperate to find some dry clothes and sleep. Not only that, but the teenager was going to ruin his handiwork by getting cold and wet and it was getting hard to contain his aggravation. Perhaps he was hiding here to avoid going home? Whatever was going on, the kid needed to get back to his "grandfather", whoever that was.

Naruto blinked some water out of his eyes and burrowed further into his jacket. He wished that Kakashi would go away. It was hard enough to settle on the concrete without the surgical inquisition here to question him.

"Um... I'm on my way home. I stopped here for a rest..." he managed, and then decided he needed to make the excuse more credible. Pushing himself to his feet, he grinned.

"I'll be off now, bye Kakashi-sensei!" he yelled and began marching briskly down the street. It was a perfect plan. In fact, he was so proud of it that he had already turned the corner he planned to stop at when he realised the flaw.

Kakashi was following him.

Naruto turned round and scowled. The surgeon had ruined his amazing plan, and now he had to think of something else. He muttered something under his breath and looked up at the tall man.

"Why are you following me?" he asked. Kakashi smiled and held out his hand.

"You still have that money I accidentally dropped," he said, and Naruto flushed pink with embarrassment. He scratched the nape of his neck nervously and held out his other fist, which had been tightly clenched around the coins since they met. He had forgotten about it completely. Kakashi pocketed them and thanked him, but didn't leave.

The surgeon knew he could have made it home by now, and his nerves were grated bare, but Kakashi knew that if he didn't see the teenager home it would bother him for the rest of the night. He resigned himself to adding an additional section to his journey. Besides, it would be unlike him to get somewhere on time.

Naruto awkwardly waited for the grey haired man to turn back. When after a minute he hadn't moved, he figured he should say something.

"Umm..." he began, and then trailed off. He didn't really know how to phrase this politely, not that Kakashi deserved it after the trouble he was causing. He was an interesting person, if a little weird, but he needed to learn to mind his business. Why wouldn't he just go home?

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" asked Kakashi with a hint of impatience slipping into his pleasant tone. The seventeen year old sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why are you _still_ following me?"

"I'm walking you home of course!" replied Kakashi cheerfully. He reached forward to ruffle Naruto's hair, which made the boy scowl adorably.

"I'm not a kid," he pouted, "I don't need anyone holding my hand. What are you, some kind of creep?"

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle a little, but it was more out of exasperation than anything else. The rain continued to pour around them and his clothing was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"You're limping a little, Naruto-kun. As an honest and upstanding member of society, I simply want to make sure you get home safely. So, lead the way!"

Naruto grudgingly accepted that he would not get Kakashi off his tail and started trudging along the street. The surgeon followed a short distance behind. He hoped that after a while of walking the man would get bored and go home.

Apparently, that was not the case. Kakashi walked silently and made no attempt at small talk, which made Naruto feel awkward and stressed. Soon he had no idea where he was going and just took random turns, panic beginning to set in.

Kakashi didn't really know his was around this particular part of the city, but recognized a front door that they had already passed twice now. It was particularly distinctive due to the large burn mark sprawled across the peeling paintwork. Kakashi was feeling far too tired to let Naruto mess him around any longer. Clearly the boy was just trying to throw him off and get him to go away. Something suspicious was going on.

"We have already been down this street, Naruto-kun. Are you lost, perhaps?" he asked bluntly.

Naruto turned scarlet.

He tried to think of something to say, but he didn't want to offend Kakashi. He considered the man a friend and didn't want him to be upset, but now he was getting angry and Naruto needed to get away. He glanced at the surgeons sceptically raised eyebrow and decided there was nothing he could say that would help.

As soon as the boy attempted to bolt Kakashi's hand shot out and grabbed his forearm. The kid acted like a trapped animal, trying to twist and squirm away. Suddenly it occurred to Kakashi quite how dense he had been for the last hour. He waited for Naruto to calm down and stop struggling before addressing him.

"You aren't staying with your grandfather, are you?"

Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head. He went limp and looked completely defeated. Kakashi continued.

"Why did that man think that you are? Why did you lie to him, Naruto?"

The blond looked up again and glared fiercely.

"I didn't lie, bastard! I used to live with him. I didn't lie to Iruka-sensei!"

"Did he throw you out?" asked Kakashi in a deadpan tone. Sympathy was for the warm and well rested, and Kakashi currently fit into neither category.

"He fucking died!" yelled Naruto. He tried to jerk his arm away but Kakashi maintained his grip. The teenager settled for kicking him in the shin with his good leg and stamping his foot angrily. The surgeon grunted in pain.

"He died two months ago and I can't pay the rent so the landlord said I can't stay any more," mumbled the blond. Further exacerbated by the pain, Kakashi decided that at the moment he couldn't care less about the mysterious dead grandfather, whoever he was. Now he just felt annoyed and frustrated and wished he had never run into the damn kid.

"It would have saved us both a lot of trouble if you had told me that an hour ago, Naruto," he drawled. Naruto snarled a retort back.

"Or you could have just minded your own business. I don't want to be put in care, I'm nearly eighteen! I'm gonna find a place to stay, I'm old enough!"

Kakashi was developing a severe headache. It was late, and he wanted to get into bed, to go to sleep. This mess could be dealt with in the morning. He made a quick but firm decision.

Naruto yelped when he was sharply tugged in another direction as Kakashi started striding down the road. He splashed through puddles as he flailed wildly and tried to regain his balance. Finally, he settled into a half-walk half-jog to match the tall surgeon's pace.

"Hey! What the Hell are you doing, let go!" he shouted. Kakashi ignored him and carried on walking.

"Stop struggling, it's getting annoying. I'm taking you to my place," he stated, and Naruto immediately increased his squirming.

"Hell no, you sick pervert! Get off! I'll call the police!" he warned. Kakashi snapped to a halt and leaned down so he was face to face with the angry young man.

"Listen, brat," he hissed, "I have had a very stressful day. I am tired and cold and you are really testing my patience. So you will shut up, and stop struggling and do what I say, understand?"

Naruto froze in shock at the anger in the usually easygoing man's tone. He nodded dumbly, his eyes wide with fear. He was confused when, within seconds, Kakashi reverted back to his usual cheerful self.

"Well then, Naruto-kun," he beamed, "I'll navigate this time, shall I?" His tone was teasing and light hearted. The blond muttered various curses under his breath and sulked pitifully but allowed the man to drag him through the streets at a brisk trot.

Kakashi realised he would probably regret letting the Minato look-alike near his apartment, but felt too exhausted to care. He very rarely lost his temper, and that little slip proved that the whole situation needed serious thought. He couldn't just leave his mentor's son in the street. He at least owed it to Minato to make sure he was looked after properly, as much as the kid was turning his life upside down.

Both were worn out as they hauled themselves up the last flight of stairs. To add one more problem to Kakashi's day, the lift in his apartment block wasn't working, and hadn't been for some time, apparently. As soon as they were both inside the apartment the surgeon locked the door and wondered off to find where he had left his bedroom. After not entering the place for such a long time it seemed unfamiliar and foreign. A thick layer of dust covered every surface. Everything was exactly as he had left it, from the sheets on his bed to the dishes stacked on the draining board. Nobody had reason to disturb his apartment - it remained locked and as long as he still paid rent, the landlord left it alone. After considerable rummaging, he dug out some pyjama trousers and a top that had been clean before he left. He wondered back into the main room to find Naruto standing in the centre of it, sopping wet, looking around incredulously.

"This place is big! You live here alone?" he asked with renewed energy, and didn't wait for an answer before starting to wonder around investigating. Kakashi noticed that both he and the teenager were leaving wet trails over the carpet, but couldn't bring himself to care. He watched as Naruto sank onto a couch and a cloud of dust billowed up, making the blond cough.

After he was done hacking his lungs up, Naruto looked at Kakashi with his tongue poked out in disgust.

"Ever heard of cleaning?" he asked. Kakashi threw the dry pyjamas at his head.

They found their target.

"I'm going to bed, Naruto-kun," he yawned. "Be quiet, and don't break anything."

He started walking towards his bedroom but paused when Naruto spoke.

"Um... where should I sleep, Kakashi-sensei?" he asked unsurely. Kakashi chuckled and smiled over his shoulder.

"Sleep wherever you like."

After he closed the door, Kakashi peeled away his wet clothes, leaving them in a messy puddle on the floor, and put on a fresh mask and bandana. It was unusual for him to wear the mask in his own home but usually he was alone, and he was used to sleeping in it at the hospital. He fished a clean pair of boxers out of a drawer and put them on, then collapsed into bed. The sheets were a bit dusty, and smelled odd, but he basked in their warmth. He fell asleep to the sounds of Naruto pottering about somewhere else in the apartment.

Naruto didn't know what to do with his wet clothes. He had changed into the pyjamas, which were far too big but comfy all the same and now held a bundle of dripping garments in his arms. Despite his previous anger with Kakashi, he couldn't really hold a grudge. After all, the man was letting him sleep here in his nice apartment, which must have been quite expensive. It looked like Kakashi didn't take good care of it but Naruto didn't want to ruin his carpet with wet patches.

After wondering around for a few minutes, opening various doors and discovering many different rooms, he arrived in the kitchen and decided to put his clothes in the sink. At least then if they dripped they would just drain off and not damage anything. The bundle didn't quite fit, and wanted to overflow on to the floor, but with some determined squishing Naruto got it to stay put. His shoes were placed neatly on top of the pile so they didn't topple off. Barefoot and bleary eyed, he padded back through to a spare bedroom he had seen during his exploration and crawled into the bed there. It was the first time he had slept on a mattress in weeks.

He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.


	5. Ouch

_**Notes from the Author**_

Thank you all for your lovely reviews! Hopefully this chapter should explain a little more of how everything is connected to the event that happened when Naruto was a baby. I feel the story is actually starting to progress now, so hopefully updates will continue quickly. Thanks for reading!

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters. I make no money from the writing of this fanfiction._

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Naruto was roused from sleep by bright morning sun streaming through the window. He scrubbed at his eyes with closed fists, allowing them to adjust to the bright light, and yawned loudly. Sitting up, the blond stretched languidly.

Then he did a double take, because this was most certainly not his bedroom.

After a few moments of sleepy confusion he recalled that he didn't actually have a bedroom any more, and the events of the night before came back to him. He frowned and swung his feet out of the bed, wincing when his leg twinged as he stood up. The borrowed pyjama bottoms hung low on his hips as he padded barefoot down the hallway, trying not to disturb the silence in the apartment.

He peered into the lounge to see if the owner of the place had woken up yet. Naruto had no idea what time it was, as although he had seen a clock on the wall it seemed to have stopped long ago. He knew it was morning, but how early or late was beyond him. He guessed that Kakashi was still in bed because his door was shut and he couldn't hear the man moving around. Noticing quite how hungry he felt, he wondered off to the kitchen.

Naruto opened the refrigerator and promptly shut it again. The overwhelming stench of rotten food did not completely dissipate when the door was closed, but it was far, far better than when it was open. Backing away from the source of the foul smell, he braved opening a cupboard to see if there was any edible food there. After considerable searching, he discovered not a single item was in date. Groaning, he pulled a chair from the kitchen table and slumped down into it.

After feeling sorry for himself got boring, Naruto tried to think of something else to do. Kakashi still had not woken up. He noticed the dishes stacked on the draining board next to the clothing-filled sink. Normally unnecessary housework was not his style, but he was itching for something to do.

Jumping back on to his feet he strode towards the sink and picked up a plate. Then he put it down again, because he realized he couldn't remember where Kakashi kept the plates. The teenager had seen them whilst searching for sustenance, so he opened all the cupboard doors again until he found the right place. The cupboard was coated in a combo of slime and dust but there was little he could do about that, so he left the door open and marched over to collect a plate.

Naruto was careful to stay quiet so the clinking noise didn't wake Kakashi. As he slid the first plate on top of the stack in the cupboard he felt a sense of nostalgia. It was nice to be back in a homely place, if only for a short while, where there were dishes to put away and a bed to sleep in. If not for the sense of neglect in the apartment he could almost image he was back home with his grandfather. When the man became too old to do much, Naruto took on the cleaning and cooking. He knew how to manage the chores. Though the blond had always been clumsy and forgetful, his grandfather was a patient man and made sure Naruto could take care of himself. The old man had brought him up since he was tiny because his parents had died in a car crash shortly after he was born.

Naruto spent his childhood in a small, out-of-the-way town. It was a quiet, pleasant place, and the two of them lived an easy life in the little cottage they shared. The blond had always put a smile on his face despite his loneliness. His grandfather looked after him the best he could, and he was very grateful to the old man, but he had always felt that something was missing. Not having parents was hard. His guardian was often tired so he missed out on some of the fun the other kids had. The children at his school weren't keen to let him join in anyway - they considered him weird, strange and stupid. They laughed at the marks on his face. He would always play along and pretend he didn't mind, but secretly he hated it. And then something happened when he was a teenager that made everyone want to keep their distance from him no matter how hard he tried to make friends. He couldn't stand it any longer. His grandfather understood, and told him that when he finished his GCSEs they would move near whichever college he wanted to go to.

He chose East Konoha Sixth Form.

The old man had been visibly reluctant, but said that maybe it was for the best and agreed. They ended up in a small apartment that was walking distance away from the college. His grandfather grew weaker as time passed, and though Naruto was sad when his guardian died he had expected it to happen eventually. The two had already talked about it in depth until the teenager accepted it and both were prepared for the event to happen. Only, they hadn't anticipated the man's death quite so soon - they had planned that Naruto would be eighteen. That would make him old enough to withdraw the fund in his bank account so he could pay for accommodation. He wasn't. They money was still locked away until his next birthday, leaving him to wait out the time until then wherever he could.

Sometimes he stayed the night at one of his new friends' houses, but he couldn't do so too often or it would look suspicious. One night he crashed at Iruka-sensei's, but he wouldn't risk that again. The ever responsible man had wanted to call Naruto's grandfather to let him know his grandson was okay, and it took a lot of distraction to stop him from doing so. The one thing he didn't want was to be put in a care home. Even though it would only be short-term, he couldn't stand the thought. He liked his independence and was used to being responsible for himself; having somebody else giving him patronizing advice and annoying words of sympathy did not sound appealing. Besides, it wasn't as though he needed anybody to take care of him.

The draining board was significantly emptier now. At least half of the semi-clean crockery had been moved to its correct cupboard and it gave Naruto a small sense of satisfaction. He grabbed a glass and turned to find a place for it.

The loose trousers were far too long and the hems kept getting caught under his toes, so it wasn't surprising when Naruto tripped and sent the glass flying. It whizzed through the air to crash into a counter and shatter impressively. The blond could only wonder at how anything could smash so spectacularly for a moment before he realised what he had done. The tiled floor was covered in tiny shards of sharp glass. The glittering fragments had reached even the far corners of the kitchen.

Kakashi would not be pleased.

When Kakashi was roused from sleep by a terrible crash, he was not pleased. As soon as he woke he regretted ever bringing the little brat home. He might have enjoyed the boy's company inside the hospital, but he wasn't used to dealing with other people in his own home. It felt uncomfortable.

He clambered out of bed before the boy could destroy his entire apartment and lazily wondered through to the kitchen. Amidst the scattering of glass stood Naruto, facing away from Kakashi. He stood slumped with defeat and helplessness in the middle of the kitchen, gazing at the mess on the floor. Kakashi yawned and the blond jumped, noticing he was there for the first time. He turned around in surprise and winced when glass embedded itself into his feet. Flushed with embarrassment, the teenager scratched his head and chuckled nervously. Kakashi raised one eyebrow.

"I thought I told you not to touch anything?" he said, voice slurred with sleepiness. Naruto turned a brighter shade of pink and Kakashi realized he was still only wearing his bandana, mask and boxers. The surgeon disregarded the young man's embarrassment and leaned against the wall, waiting for an explanation.

"Erm..." mumbled the blonde sheepishly, "I kinda tripped... sorry." Naruto felt slightly distracted by Kakashi's lack of proper clothing. For a man who spent all day in a hospital, he kept himself in shape very well. Forcing himself not to stare, because it was rather rude to gawk at his host when he had just broken something, he added to his excuse.

"I was only trying to help though!" he blurted, "I was putting away the stuff on the draining board, and my trousers were too long so I tripped."

Kakashi glanced down and noted that his trousers were indeed too long. It wasn't surprising since he was taller than Naruto. The teenager's body was a little swamped by his clothing and he looked rather cute standing there in Kakashi's clothes with a blush on his face. Sighing in acceptance of the story, Kakashi turned away to let the blond pick his way out through the shards in peace.

He retreated to his room, where he located suitable clothing for himself and got dressed. When he returned to the kitchen, wearing some old, comfortable grey jeans and a loose shirt, Naruto stood on his tiptoes by the doorway with drops of blood seeping from his feet. The surgeon rolled his eyes at the kid's clumsiness and instructed him to go sit on the sofa. Moments later he had returned with a pair of tweezers and a mouthwash cup.

Kakashi sat cross-legged on the floor by Naruto's feet. The blond watched uncomfortably as the man lifted his ankle and began to pick glass out of his bare soles. He dropped each shard in the empty cup with a look of distant boredom. Naruto winced occasionally as the glass tugged his skin but could see that fussing would not do any good - the man was only trying to help him after all. Neither male spoke and the only sound was the soft plop as each fragment fell into the cup. The blond found it strangely relaxing to have the surgeon's careful hands touching his feet. When he realised that, it made him want to squirm away and it took some effort to remain still.

Kakashi had at last finished, after wiping Naruto's feet with cold water and fixing a few plasters over the larger cuts. The wounds were not at all serious, just uncomfortable. They would heal best if left alone. He noticed Naruto's breathing had sped up a little but supposed he must have been in some pain. A loud rumbling announced that Naruto was hungry.

"I looked all through your kitchen, Kakashi-sensei. You don't have any food. What are we having for breakfast?" asked the teenager, rubbing his stomach to emphasize his point. The grey haired man raised a sceptical eyebrow and found himself quite amused by the question.

"What makes you think I will give you breakfast, Naruto-kun?" he asked, and Naruto answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"If you are going to kidnap me, you at least have to feed me!"

The cafe was mostly empty when they arrived, and it remained that way. The decor looked thrown together but traditional - red and white checked tablecloths, old posters on the walls and simple white plates and mugs. There was music playing through a radio somewhere, and it gave the place a nice atmosphere - not too loud you couldn't hear yourself think and not self-consciously quiet either.

Naruto sat in the chair opposite Kakashi, kitted out in a different set of Kakashi's clothes. Seeing him wearing them outside was even more awkward and strange, but as the teenager had emphatically pointed out, his proper clothes were still wet and he couldn't go out in pyjamas. The surgeon still found the mental image of the sodden pile in the sink absurd. Naruto was also wearing a pair of his shoes, which had prompted more complaints, but were surely more comfortable than wet footwear.

Watching the blond eat was strangely mesmerizing. He practically vacuumed up the food. Kakashi had barely touched his black coffee and wholemeal toast whereas Naruto was already halfway through a plate of sausages and eggs. The glass of orange juice had been gulped down straight away and now sat empty and forlorn at the edge of the table.

"So, Naruto-kun," he interjected, if only to slow down the boy before he choked, "what do you plan to do now?"

The teenager looked up, confusion written over his face. He swallowed his mouthful so he could speak.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and went back to eating whilst waiting for a reply.

"Where are you going to be staying? How are you going to get to school? That teacher seemed very concerned. You can't sleep in the street if you want to get your A levels," remarked the surgeon. Naruto huffed before responding.

"I'm never going to pass them anyway, I'm already too behind. I haven't been to school much...there's no point trying, really." The teenager seemed rather disappointed for a moment, scowling at his plate, before looking up with a grin.

"But when I'm eighteen I can withdraw the money my parents left me and rent my own place, and then I can do whatever I want! I can do my A levels again, so I can go to university," he insisted.

"What are you planning on studying?" asked Kakashi.

"I'm going to be a doctor, like my Dad!" declared the blond, "I will be the great doctor Uzumaki Naruto!"

That surprised Kakashi. Okay, so the kid knew his father was a doctor. No big deal, his "grandfather" probably told him that. The surgeon looked Naruto up and down with a raised eyebrow. He didn't seem like medical student material. The blond got bored far too easily for studying, and clearly wasn't doing too well in college at the moment. He seriously doubted the kid's ability to train as a doctor. Medical schools were extremely competitive.

"I see," he answered in a measured tone, "and you used to stay with your grandfather. Do you have any other relatives to stay with?"

Naruto shook his head. It saved time because he didn't have to pause in his eating frenzy to reply. Kakashi's curiosity got the better of him, considering Minato's son was being quite so open today.

"Naruto-kun, what was your grandfather's name?" he questioned, and the young man took a few seconds to finish swallowing before answering.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen," he replied. Kakashi sat back in his chair.

Ah. That explained a lot.


End file.
